The present invention relates to mounting equipment in a rack. In particular, the invention relates to a mounting bracket for mounting a rack-mountable unit in a rack, to electrical equipment for mounting in a rack and to a method of mounting electrical equipment in a rack.
It is well known to provide racking systems for mounting electrical equipment in a rack structure. Typically, the rack structure includes vertical bars having holes to which rack-mountable units can be mounted by means of screws, clips, etc. Typically, a unit for mounting in the rack comprises a housing. Attached to or forming an integral part of the housing, a mounting element will include a flange having holes for co-operating with corresponding holes of a rack bar for receiving fasteners or other fixing means that pass through the holes in the flange and the rack bar for securing the unit to the rack structure. If the mounting element is integral to the rack-mountable unit, then it will typically only be suitable for one type of racking. Accordingly, it is usual for such a mounting element to be in the form of a bracket that is attached to the unit by means of screws.
However, the use of screws to secure the mounting bracket to the unit to be supported includes a number of disadvantages. In the first place, it is necessary to supply the screws in a fixing kit. This increases the parts costs way beyond the individual value of the screws. Also, the screws can easily be omitted from the fixing kit and/or be lost. Also, when a mounting bracket is attached to a rack mountable unit, it is necessary to provide the unit with a nut or threaded element for receiving and securing the screw. Also, where a screw mounting is needed, it is typically the case that the screw will penetrate the housing of the unit. If supplied screws are used, this would typically not cause any problems. However, if the screws are lost, and an installer decides to use a longer screw, it is perfectly possible that a screw may then interfere with an electrical component within the housing, and cause an electrical failure and/or be dangerous to the installer and/or users of the rack mountable units and/or the racking system.
The current trend of providing slim form factors for rack mountable equipment (i.e., units that are thin), puts more and more demands on the designers of rack mountable units regarding the location and cooling of components within the rack-mountable unit. Typically, with a slim unit, it is necessary to use as much as possible of the available width within the unit. Accordingly, this leaves very little space at the edges of the unit, and increases the potential dangers from incorrect screws being used for attaching a mounting bracket to the rack-mountable unit.
Accordingly, an aim of the present invention is to provide a mounting bracket for a rack-mountable unit and rack-mountable equipment that avoids the disadvantages of prior art. In particular, it is desired to provide an arrangement that is simple and easy to use, and requires a minimum of components.